


Deflect

by WaxRhapsodic



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men - All Media Types, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Canon-Typical Violence, Fix-It, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-05 12:53:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5375966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaxRhapsodic/pseuds/WaxRhapsodic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Erik grabbed his hand and pulled the barrel of the gun to his forehead once more. “Oh come on, you know I can deflect it!” He grinned maniacally at the prospect. </p><p>“How do you know, have you done it before?” Charles demanded, irritated that the other man would even ask it of him.</p><p>“No, but I can do it! We’re going into war, Charles there will be bullets!” He snapped irritated that the telepath still seemed to labor under the impression that there was a bloodless way out of the mess they were in.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deflect

**Author's Note:**

> This is a not for profit fan work I do not own any of the properties or characters listed herein.

“No, I can’t shoot anyone on the face, let alone my friend!” Charles said, clearly exasperated at Erik’s persistence.

Erik grabbed his hand and pulled the barrel of the gun to his forehead once more. “Oh come on, you know I can deflect it!” He grinned maniacally at the prospect.

“How do you know, have you done it before?” Charles demanded, irritated that the other man would even ask it of him.

“No, but I can do it! We’re going into war, Charles there _will_ be bullets!” He snapped irritated that the telepath still seemed to labor under the impression that there was a bloodless way out of the mess they were in.

Charles gave him a searching look and seemed to come to some sort of conclusion. He stepped back with a sigh and looked off into the distance then back at the metal bender, now looking disappointed that he’d lowered the gun.

“Alright Erik, I see your heart is set on this but we’ll do it by my rules. Understand?”

“Understood, be a role model, take safety precautions what have you,” he agreed readily enough though he seemed far less enthusiastic about the idea now that there would be some forethought put into it.

Charles sighed and looked down at the gun he still gripped, “Come on,” he gestured towards the low stone boundary wall and the massive satellite dish beyond. “Can you turn it to face us?”

~~

“What tonight?”

“Yes, we’re out of time and as much as it galls me to admit it, Erik is right. There is every chance we might face guns and bullets. I want you there just in case something goes wrong.”

“I’m not a medical doctor, Charles.”

“I know, but you’re the closest thing we’ve got. Please Hank, this is important.” Charles gave the younger man a steady look that slowly shifted to concern. “What were you planning tonight that’s so important?” He asked softly.

“Nothing, never mind, I’ll come,” he said quickly, seeming almost desperate to change the subject. Charles was suspicious but decided to let it slide, if all went well on their mission, he’d have plenty of time to get to the bottom of what was troubling Hank.

~~

They met outside just at sunset; Charles had wanted to use the bunker as they did for Alex’s training as he knew Erik had an affinity for the metal plated room though he’d never said as much.

“No, Charles, the bullets could ricochet, that’s far more likely off a smooth metallic surface, in the bunker one bullet could rebound multiples, it would be very dangerous for you both.” Hank stated matter factly.

Which is how they ended up back where they began, standing near the sight of Erik’s most recent triumph both physical and emotional.

When they arrived, Erik was already waiting gun loaded and in hand, staring at the satellite almost absently. He turned as he head their feet on the gravel, “Are we ready?”

“Yes, Erik, I’ll stand at 20 paces and fire at your legs alright?”

“Just hurry, we’re losing the light.” Charles sighed and took the gun from his friend, resigned now to this course of action.

“Alright, begin.”

~~

“Wow so alright, that caused some shrapnel and definite damage to the wall. I think-maybe-we should focus on stopping the bullets rather than deflecting them.”

“Brilliant Hank!” Charles cheered, “And no worries about the wall. Erik, can you stop bullets?”

“Only one way to find out,” he gave his first real smile since the news report earlier that day. Though perhaps that was because of the property damage, he had a penchant for that sort of thing.

“Alright Charles, when you’re ready.”

Charles grit his teeth and took aim.

~~

Charles left Erik levitating the gun where Charles had been standing, pulling the trigger and stopping the bullets mid air. He took a post next to Henry to watch the masterful show.

“Thank you Hank, you were an invaluable asset,” Charles clapped him on the shoulder. It was early yet, but he wanted to take the evening off, they had rather a lot on their plates for the next day.

“I guess,” he demurred, “You didn’t really need me for medical purposes.”

“Well that’s a good thing isn’t it? I have it on good authority that you’re not a medical doctor,” Charles teased lightly as Erik finished up and tugged the gun into his hand.

He approached them at a steady pace, seeming at peace, comfortable in his skin, “Thanks Henry,” he quirked a brow at the sight of the younger man’s bared feet, causing him to fidget, “Relax, man never looked better. Library, Charles?”

“I’ll be in shortly,” he called to his retreating figure with a light blush before turning back to the Hank who was watching their interplay with a look of mild interest. Charles flushed a deeper shade of red and cleared his throat Hank shuffled his feet a bit and flexed his toes. He turned to go inside, “I think I’ll go find Raven, I need to speak to her about something. Have a good night Charles.”

“Good night Hank.”

~~

Charles stopped by the kitchen to fix himself a cup of tea when Raven surprised him with a question that had been a long time coming.

“Charles, would you date me?”

“Certainly darling, any young man would be lucky to have you,” he turned from the counter holding his cup of tea and startled badly at the sight of her naked form. “My god Raven put on some clothes!”

“That’s not what you said when we first met,” she recollected softly.

“Yes, well that was different, we were children.”

“You said I was beautiful.”

“You are,” he insisted even as he kept his eyes carefully averted.

“Would you date me like this?” She implored searchingly. Carefully watching him for any telltale reactions.

Charles opened his mouth to answer her then closed it again. He thought about casually deflecting the question the way he always did when this issue came up. Then he thought back to the shrapnel, the rubble of the wall. Deflecting only did more damage.

He had to face this head on, even if it terrified him. Even if it could destroy the family he’d worked so hard to create with Raven. He sat down across from her and placed a hand on hers.

“I’m sorry Raven; I haven’t been fair to you. I want you to know I’ve respected your privacy but your actions speak for themselves. It’s become obvious these past few years that you don’t see me as a brother. I’ve let it slide and hoped your feelings would change but that was cowardly. It was wrong of me. I know you think that we’re not together because I’m not attracted to your natural form but that’s not the case.

You’re beautiful as you are; I’ve only ever wanted you to wear the mask for your safety in public. We’re not together because to me you’ll always be my little sister. I could never see you otherwise, darling. I’m sorry.” He struggled to articulate his thoughts through the mental anguish he felt building inside her the more he went on.

“Charles, I…I’d hoped, someday,” her eyes filled with tears and she cut herself off prematurely.

“I know, I’ve known. But you’re young and beautiful, vivacious, amazing, Raven I was telling the truth earlier when I said any young man would be lucky to have you. But that man won’t be me,” he finished softly before rising from his place at the table and pulling her up into a close embrace.

“I love you Raven, I always will. Be yourself, be blue, but please be clothed,” he smiled as he felt her huff a laugh against his throat.

She squeezed him tightly before stepping back and letting go, “I knew you know? You made it pretty clear; I just didn’t want to give up. I didn’t want it to be true. I guess I was just hoping to- I don’t know, wear you down. It was always just us, eventually you’d come around, but now…well that’s not true anymore.”

“It will always be us, Raven,” Charles gripped her hand tightly and smiled earnestly into her golden eyes. “I’m due to meet Erik and I know that Hank is looking for you. I can send them both on their way of you like, I don’t want you to feel neglected,” he soothed, ready to mentally contact the other men at her word or sign.

Instead she surprised him by gracing him with a fleeting smile of her own.” No, thanks I need to speak to Hank anyway, and honestly I need some time,” she squeezed his hand gently before pulling away and heading upstairs.

He pensively watched her go, hoping he’d said the right thing for once before heading off to meet Erik for their game of chess.

~~

The next morning, Hank and Raven arrived at the hangar together, hand in hand. Only she was blue.

~~

The first shot ricochet of the gleaming metal of his helmet, he turned to face her losing control of the missiles once more as Charles struggled to his feet behind him.

Moira emptied her gun.

Erik stopped the bullets inches from his outstretched hand then froze. The bullets fell to the ground like so much rain as the helm was lifted from his head and Charles’ presence flooded his mind.

The echoing booms of the missiles bursting over the bay shook the ground on which they stood. Charles moved around in front of Erik and dropped Shaw’s helmet in the sand at his feet. “I’m going to release you now, my friend and then you can do what you will,” Charles stated tersely before releasing the other man.

Erik stumbled back a few steps before regaining his footing and stared at Charles across the blank expanse of sand.

“They meant to kill us, Charles. You can’t mean to go back to them after that. We did their dirty work! We’ve outlived our usefulness and their tolerance!” Erik yelled, incredulous that Charles would so vehemently defend their intended killers.

“I will not condone killing innocent men!” Charles shouted back, enraged that Erik would presume to know his mind. His own government had just attempted to kill him and everyone he loved, nearly everyone he knew and all known mutants.

He couldn’t accept that. None of them could. Their world had changed in one half hour; they were men without a country.

Erik paused, feeling the swirl of emotions emanating from the telepath. “Come with me, Charles all of us together, protecting mutant kind from those who would harm us. We want the same thing.” He cajoled, wanting Charles by his side more than he wanted anything in life.

He couldn’t do this alone, not properly. Neither could Charles on his own. They were each other’s perfect counter weight.

Charles hesitated; looking between the mutants huddled in clusters on the beach and the warships flanking the island.

He thought back to the subtle looks he and Erik had exchanged on the recruitment trip. Their time together over brandy and a chess board, the heat between them, the connection he’d deliberately ignored in favor of training their recruits. He knew Erik was guilty of doing the same but he wouldn’t stand for it any longer.

No more deflecting.

He closed the gap between them in a few short strides and took the taller man’s hand in a show of solidarity. He gestured to his team to link hands as the remnants of the brotherhood did the same he locked eyes with Erik as the other man held his hand like it was something precious.

“Azazel.”

They’d drop Moira back with her people then they’d be in the wind. Free. Safe. Together.

Mutant and Proud.

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at a Fix-it, which is my favorite kind of fic!! Let me know what you think! Also this is my 12th fic! I wanted to get to 12 in my first year posting, I can't believe I did it! This is unbetaed so let me know if you see any glaring typos or mistakes! Thanks for all your support!! XOXO!


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